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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 4th, 2023–Jan 5th, 2023

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

Coquihalla, Harrison-Fraser, Manning, Skagit.

Keep an eye on conditions that change with elevation and time. Wind slab could be encountered at higher elevations, as the freezing level rises wet loose avalanches will increase in size and likelihood.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Several natural loose dry avalanches were reported on Mondayand Tuesday. These avalanches were up to size 1.5 and released in steep terrain.

Please continue to post your observations and photos to the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack Summary

Ongoing southerly winds have scoured south facing terrain and created wind slab on west, north and east facing terrain features. A new layer of surface hoar exists on or near the surface in sheltered terrain. around 50 to 70cmoverlies a rain crust formed in late December.

The mid-snowpack is well-settled. The lower snowpack consists of several crusts with weak faceted crystals above and below that are beginning to heal and bond to each other.

Snowpack depths are roughly 140 to 180 cm at treeline.

Weather Summary

Wednesday Night

Cloudy with the possibility of light flurries bringing trace amounts of new snow. Moderate southeast winds and temperatures at 1800m around -7.

Thursday

A mix of sun and cloud with the possibility of light flurries bringing trace amounts of new snow. Moderate to strong southerly winds and freezing levels rising to 1600m.

Friday

Cloudy with flurries bringing trace amounts of new snow. Moderate southerly winds. Freezing level around 1500m.

Saturday

A mix of sun and cloud with the possibility of light flurries bringing trace amounts of new snow. Light to moderate southerly winds and freezing levels around 1400m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.
  • Use ridges or ribs to avoid areas of wind loaded snow.
  • Back off slopes as the surface becomes moist or wet with rising temperatures.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.